Hello Kate,

If you private message the me, i am the person who posts on this forum and for the time being is dealing with the swimming lessons, until the pool is open. Your details will not be shared with anyone. I dont want to post my email address up here for obvious reasons.

Hope this is ok

Fusion Lifestyle

If you're worried about passing over details I think you could probably just call Forest Hill Pools direct. They now have a number which is 0208 2918730.

We recently received a copy of the timetable of classes for the soon be opened pools, and I was EXTREMELY dismayed to notice that all the Aqua classes are scheduled in the daytime making them impossible to attend for those like myself in full time employment.
It smacks a little of an assumption on the part of Fusion that all those wishing to attend Aqua aerobics must be pensioners.
This is NOT the case-there are people who due to injury, bad backs, obesity etc etc are unable to partake in normal aerobics classes (I have 'dodgy knees' for example) yet are perfectly able to work full time and dearly want to partake in a form of aerobic exercise.
I sincerely hope that they will review this, and indeed go and check out Bromley Spa's evening Aqua aerobics class to see just how popular it is.

Also... only one Yoga class in the week and its during the day time.. same with Body Pump..once a week and just after work at 6pm. Disappointed

where can we see the new timetable?

We Got it through the letterbox I believe.
I feel very strongly that we need to contact Fusion and let them know that we are less than satisfied with the timetable-It seems rediculous that I shall have to go to Beckenham in order to do Aqua and Pilates and Yoga
when the new centre opens because I work full time in town!
What a JOKE

The newsletter can be seen at http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/cms_uplo...6%20WR.PDF

Evening adult lane swimming is also very restricted.

I think there will always be a problem
catering for what is clearly suppressed demand for a wide range of facilities and classes in what is still a fairly small building footprint. The answer might be to reduce the number of options. It's in the realms of history now but I'll forever rue the day Louise House was mischievously listed and taken out of the equation as this site was much needed to provide 21st century facilities. And now I note despite many promises no one has managed to come up with the sustainable game plan for Louise House and it remains an unused eyesore when it should have been incorporated into the wider vision. I do hope that we still have a workable facility and that most people are happy eventually with the service but this will forever be a lost opportunity in my mind. The chattering classes should have buttoned it a bit.

It's lucky Fusion Lifestyle have a presence on here, which means they are showing an interest in what the community wants doesn't it?

It hasn't even opened yet, give them a chance, i'm sure there will be room for things to be rearranged.

I am with Cheeky, give them a chance, surely they have to check out the demand first, sometimes I am not surprised if nobody wants to open anything around Forest Hill once they read the negative backlash before even starting out

All,

Thank you for your comments about the pool and aerobics timetable. We have received lots of comments and suggestions as to what people want and like so many things in life it is impossible to please everyone. Fusion as a company tries to update/improve/grow their programmes every 3 months, and Forest Hill will be no exception to this. We have had to produce a programme that hopefully covers all bases so that we can offer classes and activities from day 1 of the building opening.

We will use the first 3 months as a bedding in period to gauge the demand of the classes we are running and collate feedback from customers as to what classes they want and where possible change the programme accordingly. Fusion operates leisure centres across Lewisham and Southwark so hopefully in those centres you’ll be able to find classes that you want to do at the times you want to do them.

We apologise to those of you who feel let down and disappointed at our timetables, but they will change and develop over time.

Your patience and support during this time would be appreciated

Regards
Fusion Lifestyle

Couldn't agree more with what Stefan said

This post was last modified: 07-06-2012 09:54 AM by Cheeky.

Roz: I don't recall that Louise House (or the site it's on) was ever under consideration to be used to enlarge the pools/leisure complex (the pocket park was gobbled up for that). The only contribution Louise House would have made was a financial one by being sold off and the money (possibly) earmarked to off-set some of Lewisham's funding of the new pools.

It would be good to have more lane swimming - even if a couple of lanes were always available for people who want to swim and not play around - young and old alike.

will there be a soft play area at the new pools?

Forest Hill will now have a fantastic new pools facility plus a streetscape to be proud of. If the pools & Louise House had been knocked down I doubt if the regeneration that is happening in Dartmouth road with the types of businesses that are opening there wouldn't have happened.

The Bridge hasn't exactly set Lower Sydenham on fire with regeneration has it?

Something tells me that Louise House will be a fantastic local resource. There are some really exciting bids going in.

Thank god it wasn't knocked down and the council were forced to backtrack after they had changed their mind to knock it down as it was the 'only option', despite no designs having been made for a replacement.

I was struck the other day by how well the landscaping works at the pools - as you walk up the hill towards the pools, you get a great view of the side facade. You can see the size of the building, the shapes and treatments are interesting, it allows light into the street and it makes the building sit lightly in the site, rather than being an oppressively large presence.

anyone know if there will be soft play?

No, I don't think so. It would have been nice but I'm not sure that there would be room in the building for a permanent soft play area.